DreamWorks
For the bulk of every Rocky and Bullwinkle episode, moose and squirrel would engage in high concept escapades that satirized geopolitics, contemporary cinema, and the very fabrics of the human condition. With all of that to work with, there's no excuse for why the pair and their Soviet nemeses haven't gotten a decent movie adaptation. But the ingenious Mr. Peabody and his faithful boy Sherman are another story, intercut between Rocky and Bullwinkle segments to teach kids brief history lessons and toss in a nearly lethal dose of puns. Their stories and relationship were much simpler, which means that bringing their shtick to the big screen would entail a lot more invention — always risky when you're dealing with precious material.
For the most part, Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman handles the regeneration of its heroes aptly, allowing for emotionally substance in their unique father-son relationship and all the difficulties inherent therein. The story is no subtle metaphor for the difficulties surrounding gay adoption, with society decreeing that a dog, no matter how hyper-intelligent, cannot be a suitable father. The central plot has Peabody hosting a party for a disapproving child services agent and the parents of a young girl with whom 7-year-old Sherman had a schoolyard spat, all in order to prove himself a suitable dad. Of course, the WABAC comes into play when the tots take it for a spin, forcing Peabody to rush to their rescue.
Getting down to personals, we also see the left brain-heavy Peabody struggle with being father Sherman deserves. The bulk of the emotional marks are hit as we learn just how much Peabody cares for Sherman, and just how hard it has been to accept that his only family is growing up and changing.
DreamWorks
But more successful than the new is the film's handling of the old — the material that Peabody and Sherman purists will adore. They travel back in time via the WABAC Machine to Ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, and the Trojan War, and 18th Century France, explaining the cultural backdrop and historical significance of the settings and characters they happen upon, all with that irreverent (but no longer racist) flare that the old cartoons enjoyed. And oh... the puns.
Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman is a f**king treasure trove of some of the most amazingly bad puns in recent cinema. This effort alone will leave you in awe.
The film does unravel in its final act, bringing the science-fiction of time travel a little too close to the forefront and dropping the ball on a good deal of its emotional groundwork. What seemed to be substantial building blocks do not pay off in the way we might, as scholars of animated family cinema, have anticipated, leaving the movie with an unfinished feeling.
But all in all, it's a bright, compassionate, reasonably educational, and occasionally funny if not altogether worthy tribute to an old favorite. And since we don't have our own WABAC machine to return to a time of regularly scheduled Peabody and Sherman cartoons, this will do okay for now.
If nothing else, it's worth your time for the puns.
3/5
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Tribeca Film via Everett Collection
For a film that involves a love triangle, mental illness, a Bohemian colony of free-spirits, an impending war and several important historical figures, the most exciting elements of Summer in February are the stunning shots of the English country and Cornish seaside. The rest of the film never quite lives up to the crashing waves and sun-dappled meadows that are used to bookend the scenes, as the entertaining opening never manages to coalesce into a story that lives up the the cinematography, let alone the lives of the people that inspired it.
Set in an Edwardian artist’s colony in Cornwall, Summer in February tells the story of A.J. Munnings (Dominic Cooper), who went on to become one of the most famous painters of his day and head of the Royal Academy of Art, his best friend, estate agent and part-time soldier Gilbert Evans (Dan Stevens), and the woman whom they both loved, aspiring artist Florence Carter-Wood (Emily Browning). Her marriage to Munnings was an extremely unhappy one, and she attempted suicide on their honeymoon, before killing herself in 1914. According to his journals, Gilbert and Florence were madly in love, although her marriage and his service in the army kept them apart.
When the film begins, Munnings is the center of attention in the Lamorna Artist's Colony, dramatically reciting poetry at parties and charming his way out of his bar tab while everyone around him proclaims him to be a genius. When he’s not drinking or painting, he’s riding horses with Gilbert, who has the relatively thankless task of keeping this group of Bohemians in line. Their idyllic existence is disrupted by the arrival of Florence, who has run away from her overbearing father and the fiancé he had picked out for her in order to become a painter.
Stevens and Browning both start the film solidly, with enough chemistry between them to make their infatuation interesting. He manages to give Gilbert enough dependable charm to win over both Florence and the audience, and she presents Florence as someone with enough spunk and self-possession to go after what she wants. Browning’s scenes with Munnings are equally entertaining in the first third of the film, as she can clearly see straight through all of his bravado and he is intrigued by her and how difficult she is to impress. Unfortunately, while the basis of the love triangle is well-established and entertaining, it takes a sudden turn into nothing with a surprise proposal from Munnings.
Neither the film nor Browning ever make it clear why Florence accepts his proposal, especially when they have both taken great pains to establish that she doesn’t care much for him. But once she does, the films stalls, and both Stevens and Browning spend the rest of the film doing little more than staring moodily and longingly at the people around them. The real-life Florence was plagued by depression and mental instability, but neither the film nor Browning’s performance ever manage to do more than give the subtlest hint at that darkness. On a few occasions, Browning does manage to portray a genuine anguish, but rather than producing any sympathy from the audience, it simply conjures up images of a different film, one that focused more on Florence, and the difficulties of being a woman with a mental illness at a time when both were ignored or misunderstood.
Stevens is fine, and Gilbert starts out with the same kind of good-guy appeal the won the heart of Mary Crawley and Downton Abbey fans the world over. However, once the film stalls, so does his performance, and he quickly drops everything that made the character attractive or interesting in favor of longing looks and long stretches of inactivity. He does portray a convincing amount of adoration for Florence, although that's about the only real emotion that Gilbert expresses for the vast majority of the film, and even during his love scene, he never manages to give him any amount of passion.
Cooper does his best with what he’s given, and tries his hardest to imbue the film with some substance and drama. His Munnings is by turns charming, brash, and brooding, the kind of person who has been told all of their life that they are special, and believes it. He even manages to give the character some depth, and even though he and Browning have very little chemistry, he manages to convey a genuine affection for her. It’s a shame that Munnings becomes such a deeply unlikable character, because Cooper is the only thing giving Summer in February a jolt of life – even if it comes via bursts of thinly-explained hostility. It's hard to watch just how hard he's working to connect with his co-stars and add some excitement to a lifeless script and not wish that he had a better film to show off his talents in.
Unfortunately, by the time Florence and Gilbert are finally spurred into activity, the film has dragged on for so long that you’re no longer invested in the characters, their pain, or their love story, even if you want to be. Which is the real disappointment of Summer in February; underneath the stalled plot and the relatively one-note acting, there are glimmers of a fascinating and compelling story that’s never allowed to come to the forefront.
2/5
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Universal via Everett Collection
Did you know that over the past year or so Bryan Lee O'Malley has been creating color editions of his Scott Pilgrim series? Yup – Scott Pilgrim Gets it Together came out in November, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The Universe is due out in April. In honor of the color hardcovers, here are some of our favorite scenes from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (boy, was it hard to narrow this down).
Vegan powers
It's hard to choose a favorite evil ex battle (Matthew Patel's pirate-y outfit and Roxy Richter's "I'm a little bi-FURIOUS" are definitely honorable mentions) but Todd's mix of vegan superiority and unabashed ignorance (or as Scott puts it, "cocky cock"-ness) is hilarious – add that to a fangirling Knives, and the tension-riddled room, and you've got a spectacular tableau.
It should also be noted that Todd was able to punch the highlights out of poor Knives' hair (dramatic yell: "He punched the highlights out of her hair!"). And the concept of the vegan police is kind of amazing.
Wallace Wells: Super-gossip
He can send texts in his sleep. Enough said.
The Final Battle
Scott earned the power of love! Scott earns the power of self-respect! Knives Chau kicks some serious Gideon Graves ass (in fact, she's so badass that it almost has you wishing that Edgar Wright went with the original ending where Scott ends up with Knives instead of Ramona)! What's not to like?
Kim Pine
Pretty much every single scene with Kim Pine was pure awesome: her death stare across the room when Scott tries to brush over their breakup, "If your life had a face, I'd punch it," and of course:
Feel free to add your favorites in the comments!
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Weinstein Company via Everett Collection
Forget the television commercials that try to reduce August: Osage County to either some madcap romp or some cheery family comedy. This film is dark. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Tracy Letts, who adapted his script for this big screen version, the black humor of the play does not necessarily translate on screen. Instead, it feels like a bleak downward spiral of a family so full of bitterness and resentment, it’s on the verge of implosion.
As directed by John Wells, the film version of August: Osage County may not feel like a fun movie, but it’s a terrific study of a family on the brink. As he steers the drama to slow-burning heights, anger both repressed and unchecked coil around each other like two boa constrictors trying to consume the other. The lengthy conversations swell to epic confrontations that are a sight to behold.
The cast offer up sincere performances that take the story to another arena that’s more heartbreak than humorous. Violet (Meryl Streep) first appears on screen with short-cropped gray, scraggly hair, chain smoking while both cursing and sweet-talking her husband (Sam Shepard) in a drunken stupor as he attempts to hire service aide Johnna (Misty Upham). “Are you an injun?” Violet asks her.
Violet is an old time "casual racist." But she also has mouth cancer and a habit of abusing pain killers. She seems constantly on the edge of boiling over. She can’t seem to bear her proximity to the end while everyone else watches. Hell hath no fury like a narcissist on the edge of death.
Weinstein Company via Everett Collection
The target of much of her anger falls on, but is not limited to, her three daughters. She treats eldest Barbara (Julia Roberts) as a threatening equal (dad’s favorite), Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) with passive-aggressive disdain and the youngest, Karen (Juliette Lewis), with mean, outright insignificance. It’s such a varied pallet of abuse that it would be decadent if it didn’t come off as so cruel. All actresses hold their own, feeding off Streep and the rich script, which offers up one skeleton after another in the family’s history of unresolved issues.
Streep’s work in August: Osage County could be among the best of her many great performances. She plays an unlikable, often cruel character, which is all the more reason to appreciate how she can turn the angry, abusive matriarch into a sympathetic woman. In the end, your heart will break for what she knows have been missteps in raising a family. Too egotistical a wretch to rise above her failures for a kind word, she seems to clash with her own zealous pride, which gradually unravels through the course of the film.
Wells, who comes to this film — his second feature — after directing several episodes for the Showtime dysfunctional family series Shameless, also seems inspired by the source material. He dresses up the mise-en-scene appropriately. The film’s washed out browns and yellows capture the rotting malaise of a family barreling toward disintegration. The music is moving in parts, if somewhat manipulative. This is an emotional roller-coaster of a film.
Ultimately, as it’s based on a play, August: Osage County is about performances. Wells gives the actors plenty of room to tear into the material, even if it fails to rise to the play’s black comedy. But who cares if August: Osage County does not necessarily pull that off? It instead offers a rather twisted, morose family drama that features some of the year’s best acting turns.
3.5/5
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CBS via Everett Collection/Getty
They're making a Gilligan's Island movie. Josh Gad is in it. This is the news we find ourselves facing today.
Gilligan's Island purists (there's a purist for everything) are probably hollering over the news of Gad at the center of this production. "The Book of Mormon kid as Gilligan? That's conflicts with my purism!" But as of yet, we're not entirely sure who Gad is set to play. The assumption: Gilligan. The official word: TBA. So, really, there are seven possible ways this movie can go...
Josh Gad as GilliganThe most straightforward adaptation of the sitcom, with Gad playing the bumbling title character who consistently thwarts his friends' attempts at escaping the confines of their desert island prison. Sight gags, goofy repartee, wacky laughs, and a simplistic message about believing in yourself and the people you love. Maybe Gad's Gilligan has a romantic flight with hometown gal Mary Ann? That'd sell. We mean, foster artistic merit. Directed by Shawn Levy.
Also starringThe Skipper... Kevin JamesThe Millionaire... Jason BatemanHis Wife... Allison JanneyThe Movie Star... Sofia VergaraThe Professor... Jon Hamm (in glasses!)Mary Ann... Ellie Kemper
Josh Gad as The SkipperYou know, for kids! If Gad takes on the role of the Skipper, a maritime man who has quite a few years on the rest of the characters, we might be seeing something in the vein of a Disney Channel vacation flick. Gad and his nephew "Gil" operate an ocean excursion for privileged youths and wind up on a crazy island adventure! Gad must wrangle these preteens (and teach them a few lessons about growing up) in this family-friendly 90-minute TV movie (with commercials). Rally the the small nation of people that wrote and directed the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies.
Also starringGilligan... Rico RodriguezThe Millionaire... One of the Sprouse twins (maybe not the one with the naked pictures scandal, just to be safe)His "Wife"... iCarlyThe Movie Star... Somebody named ZendayaThe Professor... The kid from Iron Man 3Mary Ann... My cousin Kylee recommended Bridget Mendler, but, admittedly, Kylee doesn't know what Gilligan's Island is
Josh Gad as The Millionaire The quirky indie! We've seen a lot of stylistic liberties taken with old television programs and books, with an extra dose of contemporary eccentricity injected into properties like Dark Shadows or Fantastic Mr. Fox. Casting Gad as the (Internet) millionaire would kick off this new Gilligan with that dry, satirical flavor we find in so many offbeat indie flicks, rendering the entire island adventure a venue for deadpan non sequiturs and (quite appropriately) ukulele solos. Is Noah Baumbach available? No? Damn.
Also starringGilligan... Jason SchwartzmanThe Skipper... Mark Ruffalo (is he still doing this stuff, or is he all Hulk now?)His Wife... Charlyne YiThe Professor... Mark DuplassThe Movie Star... Zoe Kazan, or a Zoe Kazan equivalentMary Ann... Greta Gerwig, obviously
Josh Gad as His WifeThe broader-than-broad cross-dressing comedy! The kind of humor you find on the cutting room floor of Yogi Bear. If there's time to work in a plot between instances of human (and animal) flatulence, so be it. Overweight Gad playing the butt of every joke as Thurston Howell III's hilariously unattractive wife? That's not just comedy, it's America! Brett Ratner is already signed on for a three-picture deal.
Also starringGilligan, The Skipper, The Millionaire, The Movie Star, and The Professor... Eddie MurphyMary Ann... An actual woman that they rope in for some semblance of a romantic arc
Josh Gad as The Movie Star The classy Oscar candidate! Occasionally, a TV adaptation (i.e., The Fugitive) will reach far and beyond the constraints of its source material and actually churn out awards-caliber material. Casting Gad as a subversion of what we view as the epitome of traditional "celebrity" already lends itself to a more poignant and pensive Gilligan's Island than any of us might have anticipated. We're talking Sophia Coppola territory here. A drama that really says something about what it means for a septet of disparate humans to fend for themselves on a desert island.
Also starringGilligan... Michael B. JordanThe Skipper... Christian Bale (he'll gain the weight)The Millionaire... Jean DujardinHis Wife... Marion CotillardThe Professor... Sean Penn — is he still allowed to make movies?Mary Ann... Rooney Mara
Josh Gad as The Professor The sci-fi adventure! Gilligan's Island, less a few anthropomorphic monkeys and some liberties taken with coconut-based technology, was rooted in the laws of our universe. But you can say the same for Scooby Doo and The Brady Bunch, and they went on to face real monsters and impending asteroids in their film incarnations. Sometimes, the step toward the big screen warrants an inclusion of fantasy. Maybe the island isn't just uncharted, but cursed! Or the home of an undiscovered breed of monsters! Or a space-and-time-jumping beacon of electromagnetic energy that stands as an extended metaphor for the plight of the human soul! We can see the Bad Robot logo now...
His Costars:Gilligan... Dave FrancoThe Skipper... Dwayne JohnsonThe Millionaire... Idris Elba — now you're on boardHis Wife... Gina CaranoThe Movie Star... Zoe SaldanaMary Ann... Elizabeth Olsen
Josh Gad as Mary Ann Have you ever seen Head? The strange, cerebral, explosively meta deconstruction of the 1960s musical sitcom The Monkees? Well, we're thinking that the Gilligan's Island form would slink perfectly into these margins. It's surreal, it's ripe for analysis, it even has been suggested to represent the Seven Deadly Sins with each of its characters. Gad's casting as Mary Ann already raises an eyebrow, but a progressive and artful director might well give us something worthy of some deep dives. Charlie Kaufman, make Gilligan's Island about US.
His Costars:Gilligan... Jared LetoThe Skipper... Meat LoafThe Millionaire... Denis LavantHis Wife... Catherine KeenerThe Movie Star... Chloe SevignyThe Professor... Joaquin Phoenix
So which version are you rooting for?
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WENN
Since he began playing in the NBA ten years ago, there has been a great deal of debate as to whether LeBron James would surpass Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time. People have compared everything from their stats to their playing style to the amount of championships they've won, but now there's going to be a new category in which to compare the two: their acting skills. James is set to make his film debut in the upcoming comedy Ballers, where he will play a fictionalized version of himself opposite Kevin Hart. Hart will star as James' jealous younger brother, who finds an opportunity to step out of the champion's shadow when he attends a basketball camp in Miami.
Ballers was originally supposed to begin production back in 2011, but after the Miami Heat lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Championship finals, the film was put on hold to prevent backlash from Miami fans, who would be upset with their star player for spending the summer filming a movie instead of improving his game. However, now that James has led the team to two consecutive Championships, he is free to film without any criticism. After all, champions are allowed a lot more leeway than the average player — look at Shaq and Kazaam.
Hart will be co-writing the film with his collaborators, Joey Wells, Chris Spencer, and Harry Ratchford, and the team hopes to have the movie ready to begin filming in the summer of 2014, as James is only available during the NBA off-season. In addition to the short time frame, the production team will also have to work around Hart's busy schedule — he has two films being released in early 2014, and is currently in the middle of filming a third. Hart's career has taken off recently, and he has enjoyed a great deal of success with both his movies and stand up, which makes him an ideal co-star for James, since he has experience carrying a film, and has proven himself to be a big box office draw. With both Hart and James signed on, Ballers should have no problem attracting an audience, regardless of how well James is able to deliver his lines.
In addition to Ballers, James will serve as the executive producer of the upcoming Starz sitcom, Survivor's Remorse, about the struggles of two men, one of whom is a successful NBA star. Clearly, he will be using these opportunities to show off the wide range of characters that he is able to embody. But King James isn't the only Miami Heat star to make the jump into show business: his teammate Dwayne Wade recently sold a half-hour comedy to Fox called Three the Hard Way, which will be based on his memoir, Father First. The show will follow a fictional basketball player, Daryl Wade, and his eccentric friends who come together to help raise Daryl's two sons after he is granted full custody.
Both James and Wade are in the middle of the NBA regular season, where they are currently in second place behind the Indiana Pacers. Hart can next bee seen opposite Ice Cube in Ride Along, which arrives in theaters on January 17, and in About Last Night with Regina Hall, which opens on Valentine's Day.
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Lions Gate via Everett Collection
When we last left our heroes, they had conquered all opponents in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, returned home to their newly refurbished living quarters in District 12, and fallen haplessly to the cannibalism of PTSD. And now we're back! Hitching our wagons once again to laconic Katniss Everdeen and her sweet-natured, just-for-the-camera boyfriend Peeta Mellark as they gear up for a second go at the Capitol's killing fields.
But hold your horses — there's a good hour and a half before we step back into the arena. However, the time spent with Katniss and Peeta before the announcement that they'll be competing again for the ceremonial Quarter Quell does not drag. In fact, it's got some of the film franchise's most interesting commentary about celebrity, reality television, and the media so far, well outweighing the merit of The Hunger Games' satire on the subject matter by having Katniss struggle with her responsibilities as Panem's idol. Does she abide by the command of status quo, delighting in the public's applause for her and keeping them complacently saturated with her smiles and curtsies? Or does Katniss hold three fingers high in opposition to the machine into which she has been thrown? It's a quarrel that the real Jennifer Lawrence would handle with a castigation of the media and a joke about sandwiches, or something... but her stakes are, admittedly, much lower. Harvey Weinstein isn't threatening to kill her secret boyfriend.
Through this chapter, Katniss also grapples with a more personal warfare: her devotion to Gale (despite her inability to commit to the idea of love) and her family, her complicated, moralistic affection for Peeta, her remorse over losing Rue, and her agonizing desire to flee the eye of the public and the Capitol. Oftentimes, Katniss' depression and guilty conscience transcends the bounds of sappy. Her soap opera scenes with a soot-covered Gale really push the limits, saved if only by the undeniable grace and charisma of star Lawrence at every step along the way of this film. So it's sappy, but never too sappy.
In fact, Catching Fire is a masterpiece of pushing limits as far as they'll extend before the point of diminishing returns. Director Francis Lawrence maintains an ambiance that lends to emotional investment but never imposes too much realism as to drip into territories of grit. All of Catching Fire lives in a dreamlike state, a stark contrast to Hunger Games' guttural, grimacing quality that robbed it of the life force Suzanne Collins pumped into her first novel.
Once we get to the thunderdome, our engines are effectively revved for the "fun part." Katniss, Peeta, and their array of allies and enemies traverse a nightmare course that seems perfectly suited for a videogame spin-off. At this point, we've spent just enough time with the secondary characters to grow a bit fond of them — deliberately obnoxious Finnick, jarringly provocative Johanna, offbeat geeks Beedee and Wiress — but not quite enough to dissolve the mystery surrounding any of them or their true intentions (which become more and more enigmatic as the film progresses). We only need adhere to Katniss and Peeta once tossed in the pit of doom that is the 75th Hunger Games arena, but finding real characters in the other tributes makes for a far more fun round of extreme manhunt.
But Catching Fire doesn't vie for anything particularly grand. It entertains and engages, having fun with and anchoring weight to its characters and circumstances, but stays within the expected confines of what a Hunger Games movie can be. It's a good one, but without shooting for succinctly interesting or surprising work with Katniss and her relationships or taking a stab at anything but the obvious in terms of sending up the militant tyrannical autocracy, it never even closes in on the possibility of being a great one.
3.5/5
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Movie legend Walt Disney's daughter has died at her home in California, aged 79. Diane Disney Miller, passed away on Tuesday (19Nov13) after suffering a recent fall.
She was the only biological daughter of Disney and his wife, Lillian. Her sister, Sharon Mae, was adopted by the couple in 1936. She died 20 years ago (93).
Disney's daughter was married to former Walt Disney Co. CEO Ron W. Miller, who was replaced by Michael Eisner and Frank Wells in 1984.
Paying tribute to Walt's daughter on Tuesday afternoon, current Disney CEO Bob Iger said, "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Diane Disney Miller, and our thoughts are with her family during his difficult time.
"As the beloved daughter of Walt Disney and one of his inspirations for creating Disneyland, she holds a special place in the history of the Walt Disney Company and in the hearts of fans everywhere. She will be remembered for her grace and generosity and tireless work to preserve her father’s legacy, and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her."

On the heels of his Late Night With Jimmy Fallon appearance earlier this week, Edward Norton continued his promo tour of nothing by hosting the 4th episode of season 39 of Saturday Night Live. With upcoming films slated for 2014 release, Norton was seemingly making his SNL hosting debut just because, even if Lorne Michaels really invited him to do so 13 years ago.
NBC
The method actor quipped about his long preparation for SNL, as Alec Baldwin joined him on stage for hosting warmup. Baldwin’s double-take lesson provided the punch, “Ok, that’s a great take for American History X, which you were hilarious in by the way.” This was sufficient for a successful monologue and for a minute it seemed like they’d avoid cameo overload. Then Miley Cyrus popped up as if she had been smoking weed in her dressing room since her hosting gig earlier this month. Other than offering some mildly humorous host hints, the Baldwin and Cyrus cameos did little more than say, “at least we’re promoting something.”
Feminine Assets
This week Kate McKinnon opened the show strong, portraying the Secretary of Health, taking on the simple yet topical premise of Obamacare failing to understand how the Internet works. McKinnon sets the tone for a successful opener with simple troubleshooting tips like, “For example, have you tried restarting your computer?” Her timing takes the sharpest shape when she starts rattling off other links on healthcare.gov, such as Kayak.com (to fly to Canada) and “a number of doctor themed pornographic websites that should help you pass the time."
While Bobby Moynihan’s portrayal of a bat-swinging IT guy elicits huge laughs, the success of the cold open relies on McKinnon’s stellar delivery. This early in the season, McKinnon has proven more than worthy of such responsibility. But aside from a killer opener, McKinnon’s talents seemed largely underutilized in this week’s episode.
This left room for Nasim Pedrad to shine in several sketches, mostly stealing the show as a flippant kid speaking in favor of van rides and candy from strangers. Later in the show she drew more laughs than anyone in a 12 Years a Slave-inspired sketch with only a dance and facial expression.
Impressive showings from both McKinnon and Pedrad can cause conflicting theories about who will be the next Kristen Wiig heir apparent SNL ingenue. Considering their individual talent, it seems unfair to have to choose. If anything, it’s shocking that the writers have not created more conditions for these two powerhouses to play off of each other. The right recurring team of those two would thrive, serving both the show and their individual careers. Get on that, ladies.
Rookie Round-Up
The first few sketches were largely dependent on performances from Kenan Thompson, Pedrad, McKinnon, and Norton, making it seem like SNL was using their newbies sparingly. During a Wes Anderson horror trailer parody, Noël Wells showed off her ability to look like any actress ranging from Lena Dunham to Gwyneth Paltrow, but not much else happened for the freshman class.
The first real rookie risk taken was several sketches in, with Brooks Wheelan playing an excitable hillbilly with “critter control.” The new featured player comfortably played off Norton, without much of a glaring difference between their comfortability performing. The start of the sketch introduces a common clash of context premise, with the unprofessional critter control specialists in a professional office environment. The possibility that this could be a recurring character for Wheelan is killed off in the end, along with the characters themselves. But it did exhibit Wheelan’s comfort level alongside the pros, as well as the show’s willingness to take a chance on his performance abilities.
Michael O’Brien had the most face time, playing main roles in two sketches. Like Wheelan, O’Brien performed alongside Norton without seeming rattled. First as a shortsighted criminal misusing Norton’s Rain Man-like autism for simple counting, and later as a horny yet virginal waiter. If O’Brien and Wheelan appear to be getting more traction than their fellow rookies, it’s likely because they are also writers who can develop and pitch ideas for themselves. O’Brien, who has been writing for the show since 2009, will likely have an easier time setting himself apart with more clout and comfortability than other new cast members. After all, he is following in the footsteps of Jason Sudeikis and Tina Fey, who were both promoted from writers to cast members.
Weekend Update
Weekend Update began with Seth Meyers proving they did not use up all his healthcare.gov jokes in the opening sketch, but the biggest laugh came when he brought up Kim Kardashian’s recent engagement. “Kanye West this week asked Kim Kardashian for her brand in marriage.” The best Update jokes reflect what the audience was already thinking, but with funnier phrasing. This joke accomplished such a feat. Cecily Strong continues to hold her own as co-anchor, but with mention of Meyers’ new gig in February (not ice dancing) it’s difficult to imagine her shouldering the responsibility solo.
New Dog, Old Tricks
SNL is the most effective when it taps into a unique irreverence that still leans on tradition. While season 39 is still very new, this episode contained many traditional elements. The show rested on uncomplicated, proven premises at the beginning and end of the the show. First it was the idea that it is adorable when adults portray inappropriate children, and later with assumption that it is equally hilarious when people do not understand what sex looks like. The early sketch was driven by Pedrad and Thompson’s ability to look ridiculous as children, while the sketch about horny yet virginal waiters provided physical comedy. These sketches were not groundbreaking, but were effective in letting the funny overshadow the formula being used.
They also tapped into to common comedic theme of playing the idiot. The school-kid characters, Thompson’s take on Steve Harvey, and Moynihan’s 'Second Hand News' all succeeded in showing that idiots are funniest when they operate like they don’t know they’re stupid. Moynihan’s Update appearance with 'Second Hand News' though funny, went on too long. It also echoed a ignorant news appeal that was utilized by Strong last season as 'The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With At A Party.' In fact, that entire desk piece could have been written for said girl without changing a word. Moments like this are a reminder that SNL may not need to fix what isn’t broken, as long as we’re cool with them recycling what works.
Best Moment
Norton’s humility as a celebrity and strengths as an actor almost allowed him to fall back into the position of ensemble cast member, rather than the center of the episode.This allowed him to be more effective when a sketch actually focused on him. In the last and arguably funniest sketch of the night, Norton plays an eccentric dad going through Halloween candy. His earnest delivery along with support from Moynihan and his son and Aidy Bryant as “Adult Ruth,” was just good old fashioned funny. The sketch succeeds in reminding the audience that SNL does not need to be anything but just that.
Norton’s lack of ego yielded a balanced, straightforward, almost a classic show, that capitalized on this season’s strengths while keeping it simple. At first it seemed like a random guest host choice, but Norton was actually the perfect man for the job. Maybe more hosts should spend 13 years preparing for the role.
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Saturday Night Live had its season premiere this past weekend and it was not the most earth-shattering episode. There were a lot of newcomers to the show and they had to have their hands held by Tina Fey and surprise guest star Aaron Paul. That ends the recap portion of this piece. I'm looking ahead to what could happen with these people and whether they have room to grow or will some of them be thrown back into the pond.
Some big fish have already left for other projects. Andy Samberg is on Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Seth Meyers is getting the Late Night slot behind fellow SNL alumnus Jimmy Fallon. Change is the name of the game for Lorne Michaels' crew, but this is a big difference. When Jay Pharoah is a veteran on the show, then there's a big gap. Also, when another veteran of sorts, Taran Killam, is known more for being Mr. Cobie Smulders, then yeah, it's basically a rebuilding year.
Of course, when one of your first moments on the show EVER is what amounts to a fraternity hazing ritual (Fey had the new cast come out wearing glittery yellow tuxedos and do a ridiculous song-and-dance number), there's nowhere to go but up. The problem is that they were very vanilla. There were very few, if any laughs. The newcomer who did the best was Noel Wells, who did a fantastic Lena Dunham impersonation in a Girls spoof. She has a lot of potential and could possibly become one of the breakout stars if she keeps it up.
We have to assume that these are very talented people - Michaels wouldn't have chosen them if they weren't. But they are going to be like rookies on a baseball team for now, getting sporadic playing time. As the season goes on and they get more comfortable, there will be a shift of sorts and they'll get more prominence, but they have to earn it.
Remember, some of the most successful people in show business have had some less than stellar debuts. I think Conan O'Brien burned every single copy of his debut on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. I remember seeing that episode when it first aired as a senior in college (Yes, I'm old, thank you) and thinking that he wasn't going to last. Well, he got into a groove and now has his own show on TBS. So, the new cast can take heart, they will likely get a chance to bloom into prime-time players.
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